rlcarr@athena.mit.edu (Rich Carreiro) (12/15/88)
Following is the LaTeX source (because I am too lazy to strip the commands
out) of a letter I am mailing to Cinemaware
Corporation after buying TV SPORTS: FOOTBALL.
With the current discussion on copy-protection and piracy going on,
and with regards to my feelings on this program, I have decided to post
it here. Note that none of the copy protection schemes (nor the existence
of CP) were mentioned anywhere on the box. Also, the license agreement is
printed in really small type in the bottom corner of the back side of the box.
Thank you.
Richard L. Carreiro
P.S. No flames on my TeXnique - I am a beginner 8-)
ARPA: rlcarr@athena.mit.edu
UUCP: {wherever}!mit-eddie!mit-athena!rlcarr
BITNET: rlcarr%athena.mit.edu@MITVMA.mit.edu
\documentstyle[12pt]{letter}
\address{Richard L. Carreiro\\
410 Memorial Drive\\
Cambridge, MA 02139}
\signature{Richard L. Carreiro\\
(617) 225-8205}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{Mr. Robert Jacob\\
Ms. Phyllis Jacob\\
Cinemaware Corporation\\
4165 Thousand Oaks Boulevard\\
Westlake Village, CA 91362}
\opening{Dear Mr. and Ms. Jacob,}
I am writing this letter in response to my purchase of {\em TV Sports:
Football} for the Amiga personal computer. I have written to you
because you are listed as ``Executive Producers''
in the program's credits. A copy of this letter is being sent to
Cinemaware Customer Service as well.
I write you this letter both in praise and anger. Praise because {\em
TV Sports: Football} is fantastically done, both aurally and
visually. I am quite impressed. I write in anger because you
destroyed your game's promise by saddling it with brain-dead
implementation and reprehensible copy-protection.
In it's current form, the game must be booted off the orignal disk,
{\em for the entire boot sequence}. This is horrible. What happens if
the disk develops an error? No replacement policies are mentioned in
any of the instruction manuals. At the very least you could have used
a manual-based protection scheme, enabling users to make backups.
Forcing a boot off the orignal disk shows a severe lack of judgement.
Sadly, the destruction of a fine game does not end there. You require
a reboot to exit after practice, an exhibition game, or a league game.
This is unacceptable. Not only do you force users to boot from an
irreplaceable disk, but you require a reboot after every non-trivial
use.
Finally, the program accesses the disks far too often. Why do you
write for a minimum system only? Would it be so horrible to sense
extra emeory and take advantage of it? I cannot understand the utter
collapse of common sense you have demonstrated by releasing this product.
How can you allow such a tragedy? I, for one, will never buy another
product from Cinemaware as long as it persists in engaging in such
user-hostile tactics. Also, I will, to the best of my ability,
on CompuServe, PLink, GEnie, USENET, and local BBS's, recommend that
people not purchase {\em TV Sports: Football} or any of your products.
While this may not make any difference, I can at least rest peacefully
in the knowledge that I have fought the spread of user-hostile
programs in some way.
Corporate mentality being what it is, I do not expect any answer from
Cinemaware, but hopefully you will at least think about some of what I
have to say. I also predict that I will not be alone. As more people
see the reprehensible features of this program, I predict you will
receive more letters of this type. Despite the apparent conclusions
that Cinemaware has made by releasing this program, all users are not
stupid. You and your ilk will not be able to act so callously
indefinitely.
\closing{Sincerely,}
\cc{Cinemaware Customer Service}
\end{letter}
\end{document}
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* Rich Carreiro "MIT isn't Hell. It's where you go when *
* rlcarr@athena.mit.edu you've been bad in Hell." - Anon. *
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